The city of Valencia has undertaken an institutional mission to San Francisco and Silicon Valley, aiming to open collaboration channels with key global players in artificial intelligence (AI) and technology. The delegation, headed by the Councilor for Tourism, Innovation, and Investment Attraction, Paula Llobet, met with companies such as OpenAI, NVIDIA, Google, and Stanford University, as well as the city councils of Los Angeles and San Jose.
Llobet highlighted that Valencia has positioned itself "shoulder to shoulder" with those defining the future of AI, consolidating the city as a "recognized interlocutor by major global AI companies." The objective was to learn from the best and place Valencia at the table where the future of technology is decided, returning with agreements to deploy its AI strategy with advanced partners.
On the institutional front, knowledge was exchanged with the city councils of Los Angeles and San Jose, initiators of the GovAI Coalition, the largest coalition of public administrations for the responsible use of AI. A stable collaboration was agreed upon to share learnings on how AI can transform public services.
One of the notable outcomes was the interest generated by the Valencia Urban Sandbox, an innovation environment for testing technological solutions. Llobet emphasized that this interest confirms the correctness of the city's roadmap, as it pioneers in opening its infrastructure for real technology testing.
The delegation also met with global AI leaders such as OpenAI, NVIDIA, and Google, as well as PayPal. These meetings have opened avenues for collaboration in the internal modernization of the administration, the training of citizens and SMEs, and in making advanced technological tools accessible to Valencia's productive sector.
Collaboration with Stanford University allowed for the exploration of agreements in training, talent attraction, and the application of AI to the public sector. The councilwoman underscored the importance of universities for the artificial intelligence ecosystem.
A meeting was also held at Plug and Play, an innovation hub, with Valencian and Spanish entrepreneurs, executives, and startups based in California, reinforcing ties and seeking to attract their knowledge back to the city.
This mission is part of Valencia Innovation Capital's roadmap to consolidate Valencia as a dynamic technological ecosystem. The city currently has 1,689 active startups, over 20,000 skilled jobs in the tech sector, and attracted a record 229 million euros in investment in 2025, positioning it as Spain's third innovation hub.
The ultimate goal of this strategy is to generate prosperity, attract investment, retain young talent, and create quality employment. Through this mission, Valencia expands its network of international alliances to solidify its position as a leading technological hub in the Mediterranean.
